A METHOD OF GLAZING AND GLAZING ELEMENTS FOR USE THEREIN

Abstract: A serried array of plank-like glazing elements (12, 13, 14) is assembled along and between two, spaced-apart, support members (10, 11). Each end of each plank-like glazing element (12, 13, 14) is located by a respective support member (10, 11) and the edges of adjacent plank-like glazing elements are mutually interconnected with a seal (18) therebetween to form a glazed structure. The plank-like glazing elements (12, 13, 14) can be assembled together without the need for glazing bars and may be angled with respect to each other to form a curved structure.

Description: A METHOD OF GLAZING AND GLAZING ELEMENTS FOR USE THEREIN TECHNICAL FIELD This invention relates to a method of glazing buildings and similar structures, to glazing elements for use in the method, and to a glazed building or structure produced by the method or incorporating the glazing elements of the invention. BACKROUND ART Whilst traditional buildings include glazed windows and possibly skylights, contemporary building structures, such as shopping malls and other public buildings, now often have complex glass roofs and glazed atriums. It has been proposed to build glazed walls and panels from glass bricks, blocks or tiles and that the glass bricks, blocks or tiles should have their top, bottom and side faces contoured for interfitting with adjoining faces of adjacent bricks, blocks or tiles. But it will be appreciated that such blocks, bricks or tiles are not suitable for glazing windows, skylights, glass roofs, atriums or other non-vertical structures. Conventionally such windows, skylights, glass roofs and atriums are glazed with panes of glass each fitted within a framework of glazing bars extending between top, bottom and side rails. One object of this invention is to provide a method of glazing buildings and similar structures, that reduces or eliminates the necessity for glazing bars, and to provide a glazing element for use in the method. Other potential advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description. DISCLOSURE OF INVENTION According to the invention there is provided a method of glazing characterised by the steps of assembling a serried array of plank-like glazing elements along and between two, spaced-apart, support members, each of the plank-like glazing elements having each of its ends located by a respective one of the support members the edges of adjacent plank-like glazing elements being mutually interconnected with a seal therebetween, and of securing the ends of the plank-like elements to the respective support members. The glazing method of the invention allows large windows to be glazed, and glazed structures erected, without the need for conventional glazing bars, thereby reducing unsightly cross-members and simplifying the window or structure before glazing. Moreover, the method simplifies the glazing of such windows and structures, reducing the need for skilled operatives on-site and reducing erection and glazing times. Furthermore, the invention simplifies the transport of the glazing to the erection site, and the risk of damage during transport and handling, because the plank-like glazing elements can be produced to one or more readily manageable modular sizes eliminating the need for transporting and handling a wide variety of shapes and sizes of large glass panes. Still further, the invention ensures that subsequent breakages in a glazed window or structure can be repaired by replacing the broken plank-like glazing element without the need to replace a complete large glass pane thereby reducing the maintenance and replacement costs. Significantly the invention allows complex curved glazed shapes to be readily produced by allowing the plank-like glazing elements to be progressively angled across the glazed area. According to another aspect of the invention there is provided a glazing element for use in the method of the invention the glazing element being characterised in that the element has a plank-like shape with the longitudinal edges of the element having respective complementary sections, such that one edge of one element is interconnectable with the complementary edge of an adjacent juxtaposed glazing element. According to yet another aspect of the invention there is provided a glazing element for use in the method of the invention the glazing element being characterised in that the element has a plank-like shape with both edges formed such as to engage with a longitudinal sealing member. According to a further aspect of the invention there is provided a glazed structure produced by the method of the ivention or incorporating glazing elements according to the invention. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS Other features of the invention will be apparent from the following description and the subsidiary claims of the specification. The -invention will now be futher described, by way of example, with reference to the following drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a schematic plan view of a structure glazed by the method of the invention; Figure 2 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the structure shown in Figure 1 taken on the section line a-a thereof; Figure 3 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of glazing elements similar to those of Figure 1 but glazing a plain non-curved structure; Figure 4 is a cross-section, on an enlarged scale, of a glazing element for use in the invention, formed from three laminated glass strips; Figure 5 is a cross -sectional fragmentary view on an enlarged scale showing double-glazed plank-like glazing elements interconnected with adjacent juxtaposed edges engaging a longitudinal sealing member; Figure 6 is a cross sectional view on an enlarged scale showing laminated plank-like glazing members interconnnected with adjacent juxtaposed edges engaging a longitudinal sealing member that incorporates a reinforcing element; Figure 7 is a cross-sectional view of a typical support member for use in the invention showing how the ends of glazing elements are located and secured thereon in accordance with with invention; Figure 8 is a similar view to Figure 7 showing an alternative arrangement by which the ends of the plank-like glazing elements are secured to support members; Figure 9 is a schematic plan view of the arrangement shown in Figure 8 to a reduced scale; and Figure 10 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view on an enlarged scale showing interconnectable edges of two adjacent glazing elements prior to engagement. BEST MODE OF CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION Referring firstly to Figures 1 and 2, which illustrate a dome-like curved structure, such as a skylight roof glazed by the method according to the invention, the structure is defined by two, spaced- apart, support members 10 and 11 which may be similar to the support member shown in Figure 7 or Figure 8 as described below. Along and between the support members 10 and 11 are assembled a serried array of plank-like glazing elements such as 12, 13 and 14, each inter-connecting at both of its edges with a complementary edge of the juxtaposed planks as will be described hereinafter. The plank-like glazing elements for use in the invention may be glass planks such as 15, shown in cross-section in Figure 3, with a tongued edge 16 and a grooved edge 17. Such plank-like glazing elements may typically be about 200 x 12 mm in cross-section with a length of between 1 and 2.6 metres, although other dimensions may be adopted for certain purposes. As will be seen in Figure 3, the joints interconnecting adjacent plank¬ like glazing elements 15, each include an extruded, silicon gasket seal 18 that renders the joint watertight and takes up any movement between adjacent elements 15. Moreover the arrangement is preferably such that the tongued and grooved edges 16 and 17 of the plank-like glazing elements 15 and the gasket seals 18 can accommodate the successive elements 15 in a serried array such as shown in Figure 1 being set at progressively increasing angles to provide a dome-like curved glazed structure of Figure 1. With the arrangement illustrated in Figure 3, it has, for example been found that each plank-like element 15 may be mounted at an angle of up to at least 15° to an adjacent plank-like element to provide a generally curved glazed area when required, for example as illustrated in Figures 1 and 2. Figure 4 shows in cross-section an alternative plank-like glazing element formed from strips of glass 19, 20 and 21 laminated together by a known glass laminating material 22 such as PVB (polyvinyl butyral interlayers). As will be clearly seen in Figure 4, the arrangement is such that one edge includes a tongue 23 and the other edge includes a corresponding groove 24 both formed by offsetting the intermediate strip of glass 20 with respect to the outer strips 19 and 21. The double glazed assembly shown in fragmentary cross-section in Figure 5 comprises plank-like glazing elements 25 each having outer strips of glass 26 bonded together in spaced relationship by a setting block 27 which are recessed back from the edges of the elements 25 SUBSTITUTE SHEET (RULE ?6) such as to provide a female cross-section edge on each side of the elements 25, with condensation channels and airways 28 at each side of each element 25. A longitudinal sealing member such as 29 formed to a cruciform shape from a material such as a silicone gasket material is provided with flanges 30 adapted to engage in the female recesses with a seal 31. Each of the longitudinal sealing members 29 incorporates a reinforcing element 32 formed from a strip of steel, or alternatively of a polycarbonate, and extending along the length of the member. Alternatively as shown in Figure 6, which illustrates in broken cross- section two laminated plank-like glazing elements 33 similar to that shown in Figure 4, a cruciform sealing member 34, formed from a known silicone gasket material, is inserted to engage directly with and so interconnect the adjacent plank -like glazing elements 33, and as will be seen in Figure 6, the sealing member incorporates a reinforcing element 35 that is also cruciform in cross-section such as to increase the longitudinal stiffness of the assembly. Other suitable gaskets or other seals may be formed by EPDM (ethylene propylene dienemonomer), from neoprene (chloroprene) or from SBR (styrene butadiene rubber). The ends of the plank-like glazing elements 12, 13 and 14 (Figures 1 and 2), 15 (Figure 3), 25 (Figure 5) and 33 (Figure 6), are located on and secured to respective support members such as 10 and 11 shown schematically in Figure 1. Figure 7 shows a typical support member in cross section supporting plank-like glazing elements 36 and 37. The support member comprises an extruded aluminium section 38 adapted to receive spaced bolts, such as 39, fixing a pressure bar 40 and "beauty cap" 41 to the section 38, and securing the glazing elements 36 and 37 in position on the section 38 with setting blocks 42 and seals such as 43 arranged to ensure that the assembly is watertight and distribute pressure along the elements 36 and 37. Figures 8 and 9 show a similar arrangement, but with the ends of plank-like glazing elements 44, 45 and 46 pinned to a support member 47 comprising a stainless steel support arm, by shaped pins, such as 48 each received within a respective silicone bearing 49 and secured to the support member 47 by nuts such as 50. Figure 10 illustrates an alternative sealing arangement in which glazing elements 51 and 52 are each formed from three glass planks 53, 54 and 55, and 56, 57 and 58, respectively, by a cold cure laminating process, with interengageable male and female seals 59 and 60 incorporated between and along the edges of the laminates. The seals 59 and 60 are formed by extruded strips of a suitable gasket material such as silicon and are fitted, as shown in Figure 10, to the edges of the glass planks, to locate the planks in the required positions prior to the pouring of the laminating resin 61 with the ends of the laminated elements 51 and 52 being sealed with double sided tape (not shown) as is well known is such cold-cure laminating processes. The seals, 59 and 60, formed on opposite sides of the glazing elements, serve to protect the edges of the glazing elements during handling, and may also be provided with some means, such as a ridge 62 and groove 63 adapted to hold adjacent elements in interconnected relationship. INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY It will be apparent that the method of glazing, the glazing elements and the glazed structures described above can be used in a wide range of applications.

Claims: CLAIMS 1. A method of glazing characterised by the steps of assembling a serried array of plank-like glazing elements along and between two, spaced-apart, support members, each of the plank-like glazing elements having each of its ends located by a respective one of the support members the edges of adjacent plank-like glazing elements being mutually interconnected with a seal therebetween, and of securing the ends of the plank-like elements to the respective support members. 2. A method of glazing as claimed in Claim 1, characterised in that adjacent plank-like glazing elements are interconnected by engaging a tongue section formed along the edge of one of the plank-like elements with a grooved section formed along a complementary edge of the adjacent plank-like glazing element. 3. A method of glazing as claimed in claim 1 characterised in that adjacent plank-like glazing elements are interconnected by inserting a sealing member between adjacent juxtaposed edges of the plank-like glazing elements with the sealing member engaging each of the edges. 4. A method of glazing as claimed in Claim 3 characterised in that both the edges of the plank-like glazing elements are formed with a female cross-section and the sealing member is fitted within the recesses in the said female cross-section. 5. A method of glazing as claimed in claim 4 characterised in that the seal is of cruciform cross-section. 6. A method of glazing as claimed in any one of claims 3 to 5 characterised in that the seal incorporates a reinforcing element extending along the length of the seal and being such as to provide longitudinal support to interconnected adjacent plank-like glazing elements. 7. A method of glazing as claimed in Claim 2 characterised in that the tongue section and the grooved section respectively incorporate a male and a female sealing strip, and the plank-like glazing elements are interconnected by engaging the male sealing strip with the female sealing strip. 8. A method of glazing as claimed in any one of the preceeding claims characterised in that a curved array is formed by locating the plank-like glazing elements on the support members at progressively increasing angles. 9. A method of glazing substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings. 10. A glazing element for use in the method claimed in claim 1 or 2, characterised in that the element has a plank-like shape, with the longitudinal edges of the element having respective complementary sections such that one edge of one element is interconnectable with the complementary edge of an adjacent juxtaposed element. 11. A glazing element as claimed in claim 10 characterised in that the complementary edge sections of the element are respectively a tongued section and a grooved section. 12. A glazing element as claimed in claim 10 or 11, characterised in that the element is formed as a laminate of strips of translucent material. 13. A glazing element as claimed in claim 12 characterised in that the laminate comprises at least three layers one or more being laterally off-set with respect of the remainder such as to provide the interconnectable complementary edges. 14. A glazing element as claimed in claim 13 characterised in that the interconnectable complementary edges respectively incorporate a male and a female sealing strip adapted to engage with similar complementary female and male sealing strips on adjacent elements. 15. A glazing element as claimed in claim 14 characterised in that the sealing strips are shaped such as to fit between and along the edges of the three layers which are bonded together by a cold- cure laminating process. 16. A glazing element for use in the method claimed in any one of claims 1 to 9, characterised in that the element has a plank-like shape with both edges formed such as to engage with a longitudinal sealing member. 17. A glazing element as claimed in claim 16 in which the edges are formed with a female cross-section. 18. A glazing element as claimed in claim 17 in which the plank-like element is formed from spaced-apart strips of substantially translucent material such that the element comprises a double- glazed unit and strips of substantially translucent material define the recess of the female cross-section at both edges thereof. 19. A glazing element as claimed in any one of claims 10 to 18 characterised in that the element is formed from glass or from laminated glass. 20. A glazing element substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figure 3, Figure 4, Figure 5, or Figure 10. 21. A glazed structure produced by the method, or incorporating glazing elements, as claimed in any one of the preceding claims. 22. A glazed structure as claimed in Claim 18, further characterised in that the glazing elements are angled one to another across the width of the structure such as to form a generally curved glazed area. 23. A glazed structure substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Inventors: CHANCE RUSSELL ALEXANDER, CHANCE, RUSSELL, ALEXANDER
Applicants: CHANCE RUSSELL ALEXANDER, TURNSTONE CONSTR LTD, CHANCE, RUSSELL, ALEXANDER, TURNSTONE CONSTRUCTION LIMITED
Application year: 1994
Main classification: E04C2
IPC codes: E04C2, E06B1, E06B3